Manufacture of sheet-metal articles



7 BINGHAM MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL ARTICLES Filed Nov. 5." 1924 Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

JEREMIAH fBINGI-IAM, OF TOLEDO, OHIO,

assienon TO COMPANY, on TOLEDO, OHIO, A conron'arron or onro.

MANUFAGTURE 0F SHEET-METAL ARTICLES.

Application filed November 3, 1924. Serial m5. 747,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JEREMIAH BINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Manufacture of Sheet-Metal Articles, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to sheet metal articles, and particularly to the manufacture of articles ofthis class of light gage metal,

having elongated rolled portions which are given small radius bends transversely of their axes.

In the manufacture of sheet metal ticles, it is desirable in many cases to form the articles with edge rolls both to provide a finished edge and to give strength and rigidity to the article, and in some cases to provide a hand grip on the article. Where the edge of the article is straight the roll of the edge may be made of any diameter, but if it is desired to transversely bend the roll in a small radius to cause it to conform to the shape of the edge of the article, as for instance the body wall of a juvenile vehicle wagon, it is extremely diflicult to accomplish this particularly where the metal is of light gage, as in =.uch ,wagon bodies without injury to the roll by reason of buckling the roll at the inner side of the bend or breaking the metal of the roll at the outer side of the bend.

It has been found to be a comparatively simple proposition to bend metal pipes without damaging or distorting the metal and this has been accomplished, in some instances, by the use of coil-springs which are inserted inside the pipes in the region of the bend. In some instances these springs have been allowed to remain in the pipes, but generally they are removed after the pipes are bent. A much more diflicult problem, however, is presented in the bending of sheet metal strips having rollededges,

because, instead of working on a circumferentially unbroken structure, a longitudinally elongate slit is provided which materially increases the difliculty in bending the metal without distortion. Numerous methods have been attempted for accomplishing this result but, so far as I am ,aware, no one has ever before successfully bent sheet metal strips having rolled edges without in some way injuring the roll.

The primary object of this invention is toso reinforce a sheet metal roll of any diameter, within reason, as to enable it to be transversely bent without flattening, buckling or breaking. j i

lVhile the inventionin its broader aspect is capable of being practiced in, numerous ways, a preferred method of practicing same is illustrated infthe accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. l is a perspective view of a strip of sheet metal having its longitudinal edges formed with straight rolls with reinforcing or form-maintaining means embodying the invention disposed within the rolls, por- .tions of the metal being broken away; and Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof with a strip and its rolls transversely bent at the point of reinforcement and with portions broken away.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a strip of sheet metal having, in the present instance, each of its longitudinal edges formed with a roll 2. It will be understood, however, that the number of rolls used or the location of the same whether at the edges of the strip or intermediate such edges is immaterial, so far as the invention is concerned, so long as the roll is so disposed that it is bent transversely of its axis in the forming of the article for which the strip is used.

It is evident that if a roll 2, the diameter of which is greater than approximately of an inch, were bent or given a curve transversely of its axis, as shown in Fig. 2, the roll would either be flattened in the bending action, or it would be buckled at the inner side of its bend or broken at its outer side due to the stresses set up by the bend ing action, and usually a breaking of the roll at its outer side occurs. The use of a wire in the roll would be objectionable in many cases for the reason that it could not be removed from the roll after the bending operation, and would, therefore, add considerable weight to the article.

. y invention contemplates the use in the roll during the bending action of a formmaintaining member which will prevent collapsing of the roll and which, at the same THE AMERICAN-NATIONAL time, is sufficiently yielding or pliable in its nature to allow it to accommodate itself to the movement of the metal-Yin; the bending; operation. For this" purpose T'employ' a form-maintaining slug or member 3-o-fa relatively softer materialthan- V the, sheet metal, such, for instanoe,;as,lead,- and introduce it in the roll throughout the length of the portion thereof to beJbentL: This form; maintaining member is of a cross-sectional size sufficient to substantially fillthe hollow of the roll and may be introduced into the roll! duringtheforming;ofthe same, or after it has been formed, as maybe desired? During the ,transversebending of the sheet metal and "rollythe member 3 is bent therewith and preventscollapsing of the roll-andat the same time .theyield'inggh-nature thereof permits it to accommodate.

itselfrto the di'fie-rent portions: of themetal of the roll during the bendingthereof-and: consequent stretching-of the metal ofthe roll a ndl breaking of the roll is thereby" prevented. .In other words, the so-ft-imetal' or material forming themember 3 moves in accordance with the, movement-of the contiaoting port-ions of the metal roll during the bending operation, and thereby elfectually prevents breaking or other injury to After the sheet metal piece and roll have been bent in the desired form, heat is applied.- to, the rollr to effect-a: ,melt-ing and; flowing -o-f thej matenial'ofi the member 3 from the interior of the roll.

Haring thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. The method of bending a sheet metal the roll, transversely bendingthe blank withthe roll an'd core, and heating-theroll tomelt the core thereby to remove the core;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification; 

